Small Business IPOs Invited for Investment. Visitors Encouraged to Invest in Their Favorite Establishments
Coowners speeds up the game of co-investment
Imagine investing in your favorite cafes, gyms, or beauty salons without having to bend over backwards! That's precisely what Coowners platform expedites for entrepreneurs from Saint Petersburg and Ekaterinburg. The duo, Alexei Burov and Ilia Sotomin, introduced this revolutionary concept that allows people to fund local eateries, fitness centers, and other businesses they frequently frequent.
Enter Self Edge Japanese, a Moscow-based eatery that marked the pilot project for the platform. Before diving into the financial deep end, prospective businesses must endure a thorough vetting process. This scrutiny is led by Bank "Tочка" and digital asset operator "АтомАйз." Once approved, digital financial assets (DFA) are issued. T-Investments hosts the platform for display.
To enter the club, one needs to pony up 5,000 rubles. The projected annual returns are 20% - Burov and Sotomin's assurance to their investors. For stakes of 100,000 rubles or more, bonuses like discounts, priority bookings, and exclusive invitations to secret events await. Within just two days of the platform's launch, users pumped in 4 million rubles.
Burov mused, "A quality business with an enticing product could attract financing in a flash from its patrons and admirers, rather than relying on banks." The Coowners platform's inception was a gamble, aiming to gauge public reaction and test the model.
Sotomin disclosed, "Our hypothesis seems to have played out. We're likely to continue scaling up. We already have multiple applications from major chains and brands." However, he refrained from revealing the identities of these potential partners, as they are not connected to the restaurant industry. The project plans to incorporate offerings from organizations operating under the "life-style" format, including gyms, salons, massage studios, and other niches.
Andrei Tsuran, the director of the Ekaterinburg office of BKС Мир инвестиций, noted that DFAs can be viewed as an investment instrument. He, however, refrained from appraising the platform itself. Tsuran emphasized that digital assets possess both benefits and risks. On one hand, investors can enjoy additional investment avenues. On the other, objectively assessing risks proves challenging. Conventional stocks require meticulous evaluation, whereas DFAs are simpler to issue.
"It all depends on whether you trust that specific business or not," Tsuran summarized.
In late 2024, Sotomin rolled out an experimental release of DFAs for his coffee shop, "Папа Карло," located in Yeltsin Center. The minimum investment threshold was 1,000 rubles, with a guaranteed annual return of 25%. This move allowed Sotomin to collect 500,000 rubles, which he channeled into refurbishing the establishment.
In the future, Coowners is looking to venture beyond the restaurant sector, targeting diverse business niches like gym franchises, luxury spas, and gaming lounges. With digital financial instruments like digital securities becoming an integral part of the business landscape, Coowners is well-positioned to capitalize on this trend and reshape the world of co-ownership investments.
- The Coowners platform, initially introduced for local eateries, is planning to expand its investment opportunities by incorporating offerings from various lifestyle-oriented businesses, such as gyms, salons, massage studios, and gaming lounges.
- Andrei Tsuran, the director of the Ekaterinburg office of BKС Мир инвестиций, mentioned that digital financial assets (DFAs) could be viewed as an investment instrument, providing investors with additional avenues, but also posing risks due to their simpler issuance process compared to traditional stocks.
